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Thursday, 5 January 2017

WONDERFUL WERRIBEE - AGAIN

'Why do you want to go to Werribee? We were there on Sunday!'Rog and I have been married for over forty years, and he still doesn't understand!My birding mate, Philip, was back from his New Year's sojourn, and had suggested a trip to Werribee on Thursday. Of course I was up for it.Lots of other birders had taken advantage of the warm day too. There were people everywhere.Philip and I had a great day and saw 16 species Rog and I had not seen on Sunday. Birds I was pleased to add to my annual list that I'd expected to see on Sunday (but hadn't) were: Hardhead, Blue-billed Duck, Cape Barren Goose, Whiskered Tern, Zebra Finch and Goldfinch. We saw three Hoary-headed Grebes, so at least I have one species of grebe on my list for 2017. We saw a flock of Dusky Woodswallows on the Point Wilson Road - birds that had chosen not to show themselves on Sunday. We saw two White-bellied Sea-Eagles, or perhaps the one bird twice - once sitting on a fence in the T-Section and one flying out to sea at the seaside bird hide.

Blue-billed Duck

These were all welcome of course. But we also saw several good birds, birds I don't see on every summer visit to Werribee. These included the Red-necked Phalarope (swimming distinctively in front of us), Terek Sandpipers (yes, plural), a single Glossy Ibis (in T-Section), a couple of Horsfield's Bushlarks (sitting cooperatively still to be identified), one big obvious Red Knot amongst the stints and a lone Little Eagle (which I haven't seen at Werribee since autumn 2010).

Philip and I did not see the friendly Buff-banded Rail that Rog and I had admired four days previously. And, although we saw both Striated Fieldwren and Little Grassbird, we did not enjoy the exceptionally good sightings Rog and I had had on Sunday. We saw Brolga, as Rog and I had on Sunday. But on Thursday, we saw two birds on four different occasions. How many individual Brolgas we saw, we will probably never know.The road to Kirk Point was closed. A sign informed us it is sceduled to re-open on 7 January. We were told the Pacific Golden Plovers had been seen the day before, but we couldn't drive in to confirm the sighting.Truly, a great day. Lots of wonderful sightings. I think I'd be happy going to Werribee every day.